This invention relates to stowable tables and associated storage assemblies and more particularly (although not exclusively) to tray tables used for food service and other functions aboard vehicles such as (although again not exclusively) passenger aircraft and trains.
Commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,552 to Harris discloses stowable table systems for commercial vehicles including aircraft. Designed for stowage in a compartment within an armrest of a seat, the table of the Harris patent is adapted xe2x80x9cto be angularly displaced to a degree sufficient to permit the user to leave the seat obstructed by the tablexe2x80x9d when the table is xe2x80x9cin its horizontally disposed position of use.xe2x80x9d See Harris, col. 1, ll. 10-13. Because storage of the table occurs within the armrest of a seat, no latching mechanism is necessary to retain the table in its stowed position.
Recently-issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,994 to Bentley, et al., also commonly-owned with this application, describes multi-function seats for aircraft and other vehicles. Discussed in the Bentley, et al. patent are table assemblies again often (although not necessarily) stowed in compartments within armrests of seats. Among features of these assemblies are that the upper surfaces of the tables may function as non-horizontal rests for, e.g., books, magazines, or computers and the tables themselves may be adjustable vertically for passenger comfort.
Illustrated in the Bentley Application are tables that may be latched, or otherwise connected, to rear portions of backrests of seats. As described in the Bentley Application, pins present in a table may engage slot-containing members connected directly or indirectly to a backrest to retain the table in an undeployed condition (as is frequently required at least during taxi, take-off, and landing of commercial aircraft). In some embodiments of the invention, by rotating a knob or similar structure, a passenger may retract the pins from the slots to deploy the table for use.
Unlike most existing commercial vehicle chairs, seats detailed in the Bentley Application are adapted for both rotational and linear movement. Accordingly, the slots mentioned in the preceding paragraph may be elongated with respect to the pins, thus permitting the backrest to move substantially before mandating any corresponding movement of the (undeployed) table. Such substantial movement may occur, for example, when the backrest reclines upon passenger demand.
The present invention provides alternative structures and assemblies for stowable tables and similar objects. Typically connected directly or indirectly to backrests of seats, tables of the invention may be latched, or otherwise retained in stowed positions, in numerous ways. In some embodiments, tables may cooperate with pivoting covers for retention and deployment purposes. In other embodiments, tables may be biased to fit snugly in a recessed portion of a backrest when stowed, with the biasing mechanism also permitting extension of the table toward a passenger when the table is deployed. In yet other embodiments, both of these features may be utilized (or combined with any of the structure of the Bentley Application) if appropriate or desired. Similarly, any of these embodiments may include conventional or other latching mechanisms for added retention assurance. Further embodiments, alternatively or additionally, may permit tables to latch to bars or other objects protruding rearward from backrests of seats.
Versions of the innovative assemblies incorporating covers typically include a cover attached to a portion of the rear or sides of a backrest. The cover defines a space between its surface and the rear of the backrest into which a portion of a tray table may be stowed. Assuming the cover is sufficiently rigid as not to deform when contacted by the table, its presence can help prevent undesired deployment of the table. Likewise, if used with the seats and tables of the Bentley Application, the cover effectively can shield passengers from any gap that might be present between an undeployed table and the rear of the backrest of a reclinable seat. Preferably the cover is mounted to the backrest so as to be able to pivot about the mounting to facilitate deployment and stowage of the associated table.
Biasable versions of the assemblies may include one or more springs cooperating with the mechanism used to extend and retract the table respectively toward and away from a passenger. In their uncompressed state, the springs may extend the table toward the passenger when deployed. To return a table to its stowed position within a recess in the seatback, the passenger need merely push the table so as to compress the spring and fit the table within the recess. Because once the table is so fitted the spring will attempt to return to its uncompressed state, it can cause the distal end of the table to fit snugly against the corresponding end of the recess, thereby assisting retention of the table.
It thus is an object of the present invention to provide structures and assemblies for stowable tables and similar objects.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide mechanisms for retaining tables in stowed positions.
It is another object of the present invention to provide assemblies in which a stowable table cooperates with a cover connected directly or indirectly to the backrest of a seat.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide assemblies in which the cover is adapted to pivot to facilitate deployment and stowage of an associated table.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide assemblies in which a table is biased to fit snugly in a recessed portion of a backrest when stowed.
It is too an object of the present invention to provide assemblies in which tables latch to bars or other objects or members protruding rearward of backrests of seats.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide assemblies in which a table-biasing mechanism may be used to extend a deployed table toward an associated passenger.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the remainder of the text and drawings of this application.